Road-scraper.



PATENTED NOV. 5, '1907.

0. H. LYONS.

ROAD SGRAPER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.17. 1906.

UNITED STATES PATENT. orruon.

CHARLES HERBERT LYONS, OF GILA RIVER VALLEY, TERRITORY OF NEW MEXICO.

ROAD-SCRAPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 5, 1907.[

Application filed November 17, 1906 Serial No. 343,823.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES HERBERT LYONS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gila River Valley, in the county of Grant and Territory of New Mexico, have invented new and useful Improvements in Road-Scrapers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a certain new and useful improvement in road or earth scrapers, having a movable or revolving scoop, and with a device for locking the scoop in place automatically.

The invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts described herein, and illustrated in the drawings accompanying this specification.

The operation of road or earth scrapers now in general use on roads and in the excavation ofcellars, and foundations of buildings and canals, and in other work in which such implements are employed, is often very laborious, and tiresome to the driver of the team, and it is frequently the case that he finds much difficulty in manipulating the apparatus in emptying the contents of the scoop at the place where it is discharged, and in readjusting and locking it in place for repeating the operation without the assistance of another person. To overcome these difficulties, and to provide a scraper that is easy and efficient in operation, and that causes no exertion on the part of the driver in emptying the scoop, and readjusting and fastening it in position to repeat the performance, is

the object of this invention.

To enable such as are skilled in the art to fully understand, and construct my scraper, I give herewith a description of it.

Figure I is a plan view of my scraper. Fig. 11 is a side view of the same. Fig. III shows the scraper with the scoop tilted as in the operation of discharging its load. Fig. IV. is a rear view of the apparatus, showing the locking device-a spring latch or clip on the back of the scoop.

Referring to the parts shown in the drawings for a fuller explanation, A is a representation of the scoop.

B is the side bars, and back bar constructed of a single piece of metal, bent at right angles, and with the proper curvature given to the side bars, or the back bar, and side bars, is preferred, may be of three separate, and distinct pieces, with means of fastening them together where their ends meet.

0 is a hitching, or drawing bail, to which the team is hitched to pull the apparatus.

D is alocking device, consisting of a spring latch or clip secured to the back end of the scoop, midway between the sides, to lock the sccop to the back bar, and to hold it in position to do the work in which it is employed.

E is a spiral spring in the locking device D.

F is washers on the pivot, or bolt with which the scoop is pivoted to the side bars.

G is the sockets in which the handles H are held on the outside of the leak ends of the side bars.

I is an immovable bolt and nut, with which the scoop is pivoted to the inside of the side bars on which it revolves.

The appearance of my scraper upon a hasty or superficial View, varies but little from that of scrapers in common use, but a closer observation shows a material and important difference in its construction and operation from such implements. The most important object in my invention, the saving of labor, risk and time, is attained in its peculiar construction shown herein. To render the scoop easy and effective in operation, especially in discharging its load at the dumping place, I pivot my scoop to the side bars, as

charge its load and to again right itself in its proper position for refilling.

The attachment of the drawing bail to the ends of the side bails cause the bails, as the team goesforward with the scraper, to assume a position when the scoop is freed from its connection with the back bar, to enable the scoop to operate with greater facility on its pivots, and to discharge its contents at the right moment, and to return, as the team goes forward, to an upright position. The peculiar way in which the scoop and side bars, and drawing bail are connected with each other, and the manner of operation of each in relation to the others, serve to increase the efficiency of the apparatus. My locking device for holding the scoop firmly in place while cutting into the soil, and in carrying its load to the dumping place, consists of a simple spring clip, or latch, secured to the back end of the scoop midway between the sides. It may be used with great advantage on the common scraper and in applying it to it, but very little, if any, alteration in the implement will be found necessary. In using my scraper, when it is desirable not to use the revolving process in unloading the scoop,

the spring latchneed not be touched by the driver. He may lift the scraper upward by means of the handles, the scoop being held firmly in place while he does so, and empty the load in the-same manner in which the ordinary scraper is emptied. Most of the scrapers in use are constructed with two shoes, or straps of iron on the bottom of the scoop. They are clenched, or bent up around the edge at the back. In my scraper, instead of having the shoes at the bottom bent upward, I extend them straight out about two inches past the lower edge at the back, to aid in turning the scoop by the engagement of their ends with the ground. I am aware that revolving scrapers are in use, and that some of them have devices for holding the scoop in place. My scraper is simple of construction and is strong and durable, and by reason of its peculiar construction, and the combination of the several parts of which it is constructed, it operates more perfectly and with more efficiency than any scraper in the market. The shape of my scoop, the manner in which it is attached to the side bars, and in between them, and the peculiar shape of the side bars, with the drawing bail connected with their front ends, all combine to enable the scoop to turn with the greatest ease to discharge its load, and to right itself for a repetition of the performance of filling itself and unloading. The simplicity of my locking device for holding the scoop in place in connection with the back bar, the manner, and place of its attachment to the back of the scoop, and the ease and efiiciency of its actionthe ease with which it is unfastened by the driver, and its automatic action in locking the scoop firmly to the back bar, render it far superior to the more complex fasteners used on other scrapers.

In describing the mode of operation of my scraper, a clearer explanation of it may be given. When the scoop of my apparatus is securely locked, by means of my locking device, to the back bar, the scraper is in position and ready for cutting into the soil, or other material which is to be scooped or scraped up from the place where it is to operate. As the driver holds the scraper in the right position and proceeds to guide it in the work on which it is engaged as the scoop scrapes up the soil the draft by reason of the attachment of the drawing bail to which the team is hitched is low down in front of the scoop, but as the team goes forward and the scoop is filled with soil, the draft changes and the point or edge of the blade of the scraper slides, as the team pulls it along, level with the surface of the earth, or slightly raised to avoid obstructions in its way to the dumping place. When the scraper reaches the spot where its load is to be discharged, the driver presses the latch on the back of the scoop, just in front of him, forward, and a little downward, with the toe of his boot, and thereby, frees the scoop from engagement with the back bar to which it is locked, at the same time releasing his hold on the handles, which fall downward and drag on the ground, while the edge or toe of the scoop presses into the earth, causing it (as the team moves forward,) to turn over and to discharge its load, and to continue to turn until it has made a complete revolution and readjusted itself in position for repeating the operation, and is automatically locked to the back bar.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim,

and desire to secure by Letters Patent as a new article of manufacture, is-

1. In a road or earth scraper, the combination of the scoop A, side bars, and back bars B, the drawing b'ail C, the locking device or latch D, having the spring E, washers I" on pivot or bolt 1 having thereon an immovable nut, the handles H held to the rear ends of said side bars B in the sockets G constructed and operated substantially as shown, and described.

2. In a road or earth scraper, the combination of scoop A pivoted in between two side bars, at or near its top, or upper edge, at a point in a direct line above its center, side bars, and back bar B constructed of a single piece of metal bent at right angles, said side bars'being slightly curved on their under edge, and attached to said scoop midway between their ends, a drawing bail C linked or :hooked at its ends to the front ends of said side bars and operating therein, the pivot, or immovable bolt I for pivoting said scoop to said side bars, the latch, or locking device D having therein the spiral spring E, for locking said scoop to said back bar B, said latch, or locking device, aflixed to the back of said scoop, midway between the sides, washers F on said pivot I, the handles -H held in sockets G on the outside of the back ends of said side bars constructed and operated substantially as shown and described 3. The combination in a road or earth scraper of the scoop A pivoted near its top, or upper edge, at a point in a direct line above its center, with the pivot or immovable bolt and nut I, and washers F, to the inner side and midway from their ends, and arranged to revolve between them in discharging its load, to two side bars B, said side bars and back bar B consisting of a single piece of metal bent at right angles, and of the desired shape, said side bars beingslightly curved on their under sides, the drawing bail C hooked or linked at its ends in holes in the front ends of said side bars, the latch or locking device having therein the spring E, said locking device, or latch secured to the back of said scoop midway thereof to lock said scoop in place by engagement with said back bars, and the handles I-I held in sockets G on the outside of the rear ends of said side bars cbnstructed and operated sub stantially as shown and described.

l. The combination in an earth or road scraper, having two side bars and a back bar, of a scoop pivoted at its top or upper edge in a direct linefrom its center to said side bars midway from their ends, and arranged to revolve between the same to discharge its load at the dumping place and to readjust itself in position to repeat the operation,

constructed and operated substantially as shown and described.

5. In a road or earth scraper, the combination of a back bar, and two side bars, said side bars slightly curved on their under edges, and having holes in their front ends in which to hook the ends of a drawing bail, and sockets on the outside of their rear ends in which to hold the hamdles of said scraper, a scoop pivoted at its top or upper edge at a point in direct line from the center of same, in the middle of said side bars :and arranged to turn between said bars to discharge its load, and to readjust itself for further operation, constructed and operated as shown and described.

6. The combination in a road or earth scraper of a back bar, and two side bars, said side bars slightly curved on their under edges, and having holes in their front ends in which to connect a drawing bail, and a device on the out- I side of their rear ends for holding handles to guide said scraper, a scoop pivoted near its top at a point in direct line from its center to said side bars midway between their ends, and arranged to turn between said bars to discharge its load and to readjust itself for further oper ation, a locking device, consisting of a spring latch or clip, midway-of the back of said scoop to automatically lock said scoop to said back bar and to hold it in position in the operation of scraping, and hauling its load to the dumping place, constructed and operated substantially as shown and described.

7. In a road or earth scraper, a scoop pivoted near its top or upper edge in a central position to two side bars, and constructed to operate between them, two side bars, and a back bar, said side bars slightly curved on their under edges, and having holes at their front ends in which to connect the ends of a drawing bail and a device on their rear ends for holding the handles of the apparatus, a locking device consisting of a spring latch or clip midway of the back of said scoop constructed to operate automatically to fasten said scoop to said back bar and to hold it in position for operation, a drawing bail with its ends bent in the shape of a hook to connect in the holes in the front ends of said side bars, two shoes on the bottom of said scoop consisting of two bars extending out about two inches at the back of said scoop, and handles for guiding said scraper, constructed and operated substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES HERBERT LYONS.

Witnesses FRANK .T. WRIGHT, H. H BETTS. 

